1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for stored logic Boolean function generation and more particularly to a function generator for use to implement a character recognition system.
2. Prior Art
Various systems have been proposed for recognition of characters such as printed or otherwise formed letters on information-bearing material. Such characters are alphabetical, numerical or various special symbols.
Generally, documents are fed past a character scanning station by a document transport system. The scanned information is then supplied to a suitable matrix in which the information is shifted in synchronism with the motion of the character past the scanning device. A suitable logic circuitry mask is connected to the storage matrix so that when the character information occupies a predetermined arrangement of storage positions, an output circuit will be energized to provide an indication of the identity of the character scanned.
Such character recognition systems involve a considerable amount of hard-wired logic as a part of the logic circuitry mask. Where it is desired to scan a new alphabetical arrangement, circuitry changes of the hard-wired logic have to be performed including installation of new apparatus.
Accordingly, one object of this invention is to provide a character recognition system which replaces hard-wired logic with the flexibility of a stored logic approach wherein the circuitry logic can be quickly replaced by a simple storing in memory of bit words for implementation of a new alphabetical recognition circuitry. Although a stored logic approach consumes a larger amount of operational time as compared to the hard-wired approach, the system would be highly welcome in certain character recognition fields in which alphabetical changes would be frequent and time consumption of a small balancing factor, as for example, in foreign language translation systems and written code decoding networks.